


Bambi Love

by Gothams_Only_Wolf



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Mean Girls References, Shapeshifting, The Princess Bride References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-04 05:36:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14586093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/pseuds/Gothams_Only_Wolf
Summary: Why oh why was Odin so cruel as to have Aerith meet this demi-goddess when she's on her day off and in clothes that did nothing for her? Her braid's half over her shoulder and she's sure that her ribbon's crooked and—"Oh! I just moved into 14. I'm Tifa."The bright smile almost made Aerith's knees fold.





	Bambi Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was _supposed_ to be for Tifa's birthday but now I'm glad I didn't get to post it the day of; I'm not even sure if I should be posting this because it took a hell of a turn on me but ah, well. 
> 
> Enjoy~
> 
> A note: Midgar is laid out more like a regular city but with circles that match the Sectors; Sector Five is the fifth layer out from the center, Sector Six is sixth, ect.

* * *

"Cloud, Cloud no, you know you're not supposed to-Ah-Ha!" Aerith slammed the door to the bathroom shut, praying to Minerva that she'd caught her long-haired cat for his yearly scrub. 

When she cracked open the door no fluffy face mournfully looked up. 

"Oh, you _sneaky_ bastard." She glanced at the slightly opened front door and the sound of Cloud's bell jingling merrily down the corridor. "Of course you escaped, you little..." 

Aerith skidded around the corner, hair and ribbon flying as she chased down Cloud, her mismatched socks nearly taking her out when she halted at the sight before her. 

"Hello, beautiful." The soft croon was familiar to Aerith; people loved Cloud. The woman who bent down to offer Cloud her hand, however, was breathtaking and soft and oh goddess was Aerith really jealous of her cat right now? "Do you belong to one of my new neighbors, pretty kitty?" 

Cloud maowed softly and purred when he saw Aerith, swiping around the woman's ankles before leaping up into Aerith's arms. 

"He's, umm, mine. We live down the hall in 23." Why oh why was Odin so cruel as to have Aerith meet this demi-goddess when she's on her day off and in clothes that did nothing for her? Her braid's half over her shoulder and she's sure that her ribbon's crooked and—

"Oh! I just moved into 14. I'm Tifa." 

The bright smile almost made Aerith's knees fold. 

"Aerith." They shook hands and Aerith flushed slightly. 

"Sorry about the mess and the sweat. You, uh, you wouldn't happen to know a good vet, would you? My dog's coming in tommorrow." Tifa's muscles bulged as she dead-lifted a huge potted plant and took it into 14. Aerith internally debated the merits of fanning herself for a whole minute when Tifa returned with, "I do apologize about the noise he'll make. I've been trying to find him a pal." 

"Cetra's Touch over on 19th is good? I'm a bit biased since my Mom's the vet and all but I promise they're one of the best. Don't go to ShinRa." She shrugged as Cloud climbed onto her shoulders. 

Tifa made a face at that. "They tried to steal Zack from me once. I'll take your word for Cetra's Touch." 

"Oh." 

They stood awkwardly in the hallway until Vincent in 16 cleared his throat as he passed. 

"Umm," Wine colored eyes tracked Vincent and his red canvas duster, a question in them that went unasked. 

"We're not really sure what he does but he's really close to Cid down in 7? Cid says he's harmless, he just looks scary." Aerith offered brightly and Tifa gave a brief snort of laughter. "If you drink caffeine, Red's down the way has the best coffee ever." 

She turned around and Tifa said, "Can I swing by for a cup of sugar?" 

Aerith had no idea where she was getting the motivation to flirt but she chalked it up to having Cloud with her. "You sure can." 

When Aerith closed the door to her apartment, she blew out a long breath, lifted Cloud off of her shoulders and told her cat, "I am _so_ gay for her. Thank you but that's not getting you out of your yearly rinse, you." 

Cloud's mournful mao almost made her stop but Aerith didn't want her fuzzy best pal getting fleas again.

* * *

A black-n-white husky greeted her at the elevator, tail wagging full force as the dog boofed gently. 

"Why hello there~" she cooed, offering her hand and laughing when the dog painted slobbery stripes with their tongue. "And who might you belong to?" 

"Zack, you're going to give me a-Oh. Hello again." Tifa's long hair was in a bun held together with a hairstick this time, the strands that escaped somehow making her even prettier. The sweater dress she was wearing looked so soft that Aerith wanted to bury her fingers in it. "Aerith, right?" 

"Yes! Umm, yes. Tifa, I think?" Aerith fumbled but managed to sound like she hadn't immediately wanted to blurt out the sweater thought. 

"Yeah. I'm sorry Zack is bothering you, he's normally well-behaved."

Zack continued to lick at Aerith's hand, shoving his face into it afterwards as though asking to be pet. Aerith absently scritched behind his ears and Zack's back paw drummed with muffled thumps against the carpeted hallway. "He's cute so I guess I forgive him. Have you had any luck in finding him a pal?" 

"Not yet. He grew up with cats and dogs and I think a ferret so he's got a lot of potential pals but none of them are right for some reason." Tifa sighed even as Zack made his way over to her and sat right at her boots. 

Aerith fiddled with her scarf and suggested, "Maybe we could introduce him to Cloud?" 

"You'd do that?" Her neighbor looked up in surprise. 

"Considering Cloud likes to wander, it might be good to introduce them so that he doesn't wander quite so far." She admitted. "Wanna set up a pet-date?" 

"Are we trading numbers?" Tifa sounded hopeful, obviously excited for her dog to finally meet an animal friend. 

"It's easier than you knocking on my door on my day off," Aerith teased.

* * *

Aerith vacuumed more of Cloud's fur off of her couch, grumbling that the buff-colored fluff was literally everywhere and how was she going to clean it in time for—

The doorbell rang and Aerith finished quickly, making sure her hair looked somewhat decent. 

Zack boofed in greeting, a lavender bandana bringing out his blue eyes. Tifa followed in a burgundy cardigan, a grey tee that said 'I <3 Huskies' and black pants that, at first glance, looked like a skirt. She also brought cookies, the waft of peanut butter making Aerith's mouth water. 

"I'm not sure if you're allergic to anything but-" 

"Peanut butter's my favorite, actually." Aerith said as she nabbed a cookie. The second it hit her tongue, she hummed at the taste, licking at her lips in order to catch any lingering crumbs. "This is really good." 

She swore to Minerva that Tifa did a fist-pump when she reached for another cookie. 

Cloud, normally aloof around guests and particular about new ones, dropped down from his perch in his cat tower. He swiped Tifa again with his tail curling around her calf. 

Zack bent down and Cloud lifted his head, both of them sniffing in brief spurts. Aerith shoved the rest of the cookie in her mouth so that both hands were free to scoop Cloud up in case it went badly. Her cat bunted against Zack's nose and Zack wuffled as he followed Cloud, Aerith carefully optimistic. 

Zack laid down with a doggie groan on the carpet. Cloud, her picky, persnickety cat, turned in a circle three times and pillowed his cheek on Zack's shoulder. 

Aerith traded a disbelieving glance with Tifa.

* * *

A text from Tifa popped up just after Aerith finished her recording, a few months after they'd started weekly pet-dates. 

**Tifa: It's too nice a day to waste inside. I've got the sandwiches if you've got the cheese?**

_Aerith: XP Sure thing~ I'll bring a basket too._

She dug out her picnic blanket, her old flower basket and the ridiculous amount of cheese that was actually in her fridge. 

"Cloud, outside!" 

Cloud chirped and churred as he bounced into the living room with his harness in his mouth. 

She strapped him in, tossed on her pink dress paired with her favorite ribbon and, as an afterthought, snagged her red denim jacket. 

With Cloud perched on her shoulder, she left with a happy hum and a skip in her step.

* * *

Tifa's look of surprise at seeing Aerith _and_ Cloud made her laugh. "I did tell you Cloud likes to wander." 

"Guess it's a good thing I brought Zack then." She said as Zack poked his nose out from behind Tifa's half-skirt, his lavender leash wound around Tifa's wrist. 

"Mm-hmm." 

Tifa snapped open the checked blanket and settled it on the ground, Aerith setting the basket in one corner as they sat in the park. Both Cloud and Zack's leashes were pinned by their feet in order to follow Midgar's leash policy. 

They shared sandwiches and Aerith's cheese, Aerith ribbing Tifa about not bringing any wine. 

"Shiva's left tit, did I really forget? Fuck, fuck—Oh." 

Aerith laughed before she pulled a sparkling faux rosé out of the depths of her basket along with two clear plastic cups. 

"That's okay, Cloud and I got you covered. It's a bit more whine than real wine but I figured it'd do okay in a pinch." 

Tifa caught the word play and almost sprayed her sandwich crumbs everywhere over the blanket. 

It was better to be friends than to not have Tifa in her life at all, Aerith figured.

* * *

Phone dangling from her fingertips, Aerith blew out a long breath and poked Tifa's number once, the brightness of the screen flare almost soothing against her void-like thoughts. 

Her thumb hovered over the number before she closed her eyes and let it fall. 

"Aerith?" 

"Hey." She can't help her voice but she wanted to hear Tifa's. "I'm not doing so hot but I was wondering..." 

"Zack and I can be over in twenty minutes for emergency cuddles?" Tifa suggested and Aerith gave a wet laugh. 

Trust Tifa to know exactly what she needed. 

"That'd be nice." She sniffed.

* * *

The waft of cookies reached her long before Tifa did, soft PJ pants pressing along Aerith's shoulder. 

"We don't have to talk, just sit together." 

"I just... We had someone bring in a cat. She was still fighting when I left a few hours ago and I just... I got overwhelmed. Cloud's helping but-" Aerith sniffed as she sat up, swiped at her tears and plucked a warm cookie off of the offered plate. 

"You need some more company than just Cloud, though he's doing, I'm sure, a magnificent job." Tifa finished softly, her wine-dark eyes glittering in the fairy lights Aerith so rarely turned on. "I'm sorry, do you have a picture of-" 

"Damien's 'Too gay to function?' Burn Book page? I made it when I was, goddess, what? Fifteen, I think. Joke's on me. I'm Damien." Aerith snorted. 

"Huh. So, like actual gay or..?" Tifa murmured absently as she shoved Zack's nose away from the plate. 

"Actually gay." She admitted around a mouthful. 

"Cool." Aerith blinked, looked at Tifa and got, "I'm demisexual."

Oh. 

"Cool." 

They sat quietly for a moment before Aerith blurted, "Wanna watch Princess Bride on my laptop?" 

"'Hello, my name is-'" Tifa started, using a part of a cookie as a fake mustache. 

"'Inigo Montoya. You killed my father,'" Aerith continued, using her own cookie to thrust like a fencing foil. 

"'prepare to die.'" Both of them finished before bursting into giggles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


End file.
